The collaboration involves Butcher by Nature owner Frank DiGenova (Sparky) and graphic designer-turned-pit master Marcus De Simone (Marky). They opened their barbecue restaurant May 10 in the spot vacated by Butcher by Nature after a fire last year; DiGenova relocated across the street.

The $11 sandwich is a half a pound of traditionally raised Ontario beef supplied by DiGenova that De Simone brines overnight, injects with spiced beer, slathers with mustard, rubs with spices and smokes 10 hours at 225 degrees over apple wood and hickory.

“Fruit woods tend to have saps in them, which impart sweetness to the meat,” De Simone says.

The result, sliced ¼-inch thick and piled onto a sturdy Portuguese bun from Caldense Bakery, is compellingly smoky and tender.

It is not drowning in sauce, which is good since the homemade Kansas-style sweet-and-tangy barbecue sauces aren’t that special. Certainly, the spicy sauce is nowhere close to the “7 out of 10” heat level De Simone describes, despite crushed red chilies, cayenne and Sriracha. The mild version tastes like powdered garlic and sage.

More on thestar.com

We value respectful and thoughtful discussion. Readers are encouraged to flag comments that fail to meet the standards outlined in our
Community Code of Conduct.
For further information, including our legal guidelines, please see our full website
Terms and Conditions.